On June 25th, a delegation of 16 faculty members and students from the State of Oregon, United States, led by Ms. Charlotte Christensen, Co-President of the Oregon China Council (OCC), visited FAFU to promote dialogue and exchange between youth of the two countries. Mr. Chen Jianxin, Secretary General of the Fujian Youth Federation; Mr. Zhang Zhiwei, Director of the Department of American and Oceanian Affairs in Fujian Province; and Mr. Xu Xiang, Board Chairman of Fujian Environmental Protection Design Institute Co., Ltd, together with officials from FAFU’s Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, Communist Youth League Committee, and College of Juncao Science and Ecology, accompanied the delegation throughout exchange activities.
The Delegation Enjoys Chinese Tea Ceremony
At Longyan Hall in Mingde Building of FAFU, the delegation immersed themselves in the unique charm and rich heritage of traditional Fu (Blessing) Culture through appreciating a Chinese tea ceremony and tasting Fujian’s specialty teas.
At the Wuyi Hall, a discussion session focused on “climate-smart agriculture” and “eco-innovation practices” brought together representatives from both sides. Mr. Fu Chaobo, Director of the Office of International Cooperation and Exchange, extended a warm welcome to the Oregon guests on behalf of the University. He reviewed the fruitful exchanges and cooperation the two sides have conducted through the “China-Oregon Forum on Climate Change and Sustainability” and expressed hope to further deepen bilateral student and faculty exchanges in ecological fields, thereby injecting lasting vitality to U.S.-China people-to-people exchanges. During the discussion, Ms. Lin Dongmei, Associate Dean of the College of Juncao Science and Ecology, highlighted FAFU’s active international engagement in juncao-based ecological cooperation, encouraging young scholars from both regions to deepen dialogue on pressing global environmental challenges and develop practical solutions to advance global ecological innovation. Ms. Charlotte Christensen shared the over-four-decade history of friendly ties between Oregon and Fujian since the establishment of their sister-state relationship. She reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to facilitating exchanges between Oregon and Fujian, and beyond, while expressing deep appreciation to FAFU for its positive role in advancing youth and academic exchanges in globally shared ecological concerns. Professor Chad Higgins, a bioengineering expert from Oregon State University (OSU), commended FAFU’s academic excellence and developmental achievements. He emphasized the strategic importance of trans-Pacific collaboration on climate change and ecological management, and voiced strong anticipation for expanding U.S.-China youth engagement in cultural and academic dialogue.
Discussion Session
After discussion, the delegation was invited to visit the China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology. At the Juncao Germplasm Resource Garden, the delegation gained firsthand knowledge of the transformative “replacing-wood-with-grass” technique in cultivating edible and medicinal fungi. They also developed an understanding of Juncao’s integrated applications in feed processing, ecological restoration, and sustainable development. After the visit, Joshua Brewster, an eco-engineering student from OSU, shared his experience running a mushroom foraging and cultivation cooperative in Alaska. He expressed great admiration for China’s innovative practices in fungal agriculture, and his excitement to visit FAFU’s Juncao laboratory and learn about its low-cost cultivation techniques, which closely align with the sustainable work he is pursuing in his hometown.
The Delegation Visits China National Engineering Research Center of Juncao Technology
Since the official establishment of sister-state ties between Fujian and the State of Oregon in 1984, both sides have maintained close governmental communication and vibrant people-to-people exchanges. Over the years, under this framework, FAFU has actively participated in Oregon-Fujian Virtual Round-Table on the Development & Administration of National Parks, and engaged in collaborative research, academic exchange, and faculty visits with OSU in areas such as forestry carbon sink, continuing to foster bilateral relationship.
Correspondant/Photogragher: Office of International Cooperation and Exchange Yu Lu
Translators：Chen Jun, International College
Huang Yujie, International College